Designers I Love!

If you are interested in a blog design with a vector character, here are some of my favorite places to buy them!

• iStockPhoto
• chihhang's portfolio
• Adori Graphic's Vectors
• Broken Box Stock

I will continue to add to this list!

Simple Pre-made!

NO LONGER AVAILABLE!

Click HERE to view a live preview!

This is a beautiful Summer template that would be perfect for any blog!

There are many customizations available... Here are just a few color options you can choose:

You can also change the font! 

Things included in this template:

*Header

*Background

*Menu Bar {up to 6 links across, and 9 links down. Each new link is $2}

*Image beside post title

Click HERE to see other options for your template.

This template is $20

Please e-mail me if you want this template to be yours!!!
 NO LONGER AVAILABLE!

Another one for the portfolio...

Name: Rachael
Blog: The Mollie Files {a character blog}
What She Got:
She's a Sweetheart Pre-made Template included:
{Header}
{Background}
{Fonts - Callie Hand}

She also ordered:
Blog Button
Signature
Post Divider
Social Network Button {Twitter}

It was great working with you Rachael!

New Pre-made Template!

Click HERE to see a live preview!

 NO LONGER AVAILABLE!

This is a beautiful pink and girl template! Contact me for a list of things that are customizable.

This template includes:

• Background
• Header
• Signature
• Post Divider

There are many other extras available! Click here to see what other things you can buy to go with your template!

This template costs $25! 

To get this template for yourself, please take e-mail me!

 NO LONGER AVAILABLE!

Articles

• 10 Tips For Getting More Comments
• Improve your blog

Article: 10 Tip For Getting More Comments

EVERYONE loves comments! But maybe you don't get as many as you'd like, or maybe you don't get any at all! In this article, I will give some pointers that will hopefully get you more comments!

• Leave comments yourself! This is probably one of the most important tips! If you don't leave comments for other people, how do you expect people to leave comments for you? This is especially true for new Bloggers. If you have a new blog, most people have no idea it's out there! So it is very important to leave comments for other blogs, and you will find that you get more comments as well! Even though this might be the most important tip, it can also be the hardest to do! I know for myself, it's easier to just think 'What a great post that was!', and not say anything to the blog author about it! So take time to write just what you liked about that post, and not just slip over it.
• TURN WORD VERIFICATION OFF!!! I can't say how important this tip is! I am immediately turned off if I see I need to use word verification! Sometimes I even leave the comment box. Really now, I am not a bot! Even if you DO get spam, you can just delete the comment! Or even setting it so that you must check the comments before they are published. And trust me, I WILL remember if you had word verification, and I am much less likely to leave a comment again.
• Make pop-up comment boxes. This sort of goes along with the word verification tip... Making your comments pop-up, instead of having it embed at the bottom of the post makes me want to comment more! Here's an example: You find a post you like, and want to comment on it! So you click 'Add a Comment', or whatever the text is, and it automatically goes to that post so you can leave a comment:

 {click to enlarge}

         So I write out my comment, and click 'Post Comment'. But then I need to use the word verification! But

         by then, I'm already zoned out of comment-leaving mode :) Sometimes even, without thinking, I will

         close that window, and my comment will never be published because I didn't leave the word 

         verification! And then, if I remember to leave the word verification, it is posted and I have to click the

         back button many times to get back to the blog I was reading through! So all in all, using a pop-up

         window will increase your comments, and it is MUCH easier for your readers to use.

• Ask a question. I don't usually get many comments on my 'rambling' posts {but they are SO much fun to write :)}, so sometimes I ask questions at the end of my posts. Example: If I'm talking about a specific movie, asking my readers 'what is your favorite movie? What type of movie do you like best?' will often give me more comments than I would usually have!
• In your comment, do not beg and plead. There are many people who will leave me comments saying basically 'I love your blog! Please follow me!', and I'm immediately thinking {even if their blog is incredibly wonderful} 'Oooh, I don't want to follow them! They are having to beg for followers!'. So I know it's hard to just be 'happy' with how many followers you have {you'll always want more!}, I am at least 75% more likely to follow you if you do not beg me to. If you leave a sweet comment for me, even just an 'I love your blog!', I will click on your link and visit your blog! And if I like it, I will follow it! So begging and pleading does NOT work, it just makes me frustrated and unlikely to follow you.
• Be open while blogging. There are some blogs that I just don't feel any connection to. Like, their posts don't really leave room for comments! For example: talking about a certain subject and then covering all the topics of that subject! What will their readers comment about then? 'Great post'? No, most people want to be included in your posts! To feel like they have a right to comment, and have something to say!
• Make your blog load faster. There is a blog that I have never left a comment on, mostly because whenever I visit it, I get a headache! There is so much stuff on the sidebars, and a flash header, and posts chock FULL of pictures! All of these things are wonderful by themselves, but all jumbled together they make your blog incredibly slow. I love this blog so much, and I want to tell the blog author, but everytime I go to this blog, it takes a few minutes for it to load completely! So if your blog loads faster, I will more likely leave a comment.
• Have some giveaways! Be generous! I know that not everyone can do this, but if you have the funds available, give some stuff away! I gave away a blog design package, and I got 30-some comments! That may not seem like a lot, but it sure was then! Having giveaways, you will find out who really reads your blog, because come on, no one can resist a giveaway :)
• Build friendships. I became 'friends' with another Blogger, and now I leave a comment on almost every single one of her posts, and she does the same! If you become friends with other Bloggers, they are more likely to comment for you, if you comment for them :)
• Reward your readers. If someone leaves a comment on your blog that you really like, post about it! Say 'this person left this wonderful comment on my blog, and I wanted to share it with everyone!' Have some guest posts! Guest posts are wonderful ways to get more readers! If you think about it, the person writing the guest post will most likely post on THEIR blog, 'Hey! I'm being featured on this blah blah blah blog... Check it out!', and THEIR readers will mosey on over to your blog to see their friends' post, and if they like what they see, they might continue reading your blog, and continue reading... and pretty soon you have new followers!

 I hope that at least one of these tips helps you get more comments!

Pre-made Templates

• Seasonal Templates
• All Pre-made Templates
• Click HERE to take the Pre-made Template Order Form